Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
The Broncos split a pair of games on Friday afternoon with Suffolk County Community College, dropping game one to the Sharks by a score of 9-4 before turning around and defeating them by a score of 5-2 in game two. The games took place at Ohio Field. The game two victory was a significant one for Bronx, as Suffolk County Community College came into the day ranked No. 1 in NJCAA Region XV – and ranked No. 9 overall in NJCAA Division III.
With the split, the Broncos are now 14-9 on the 2018 campaign, while the Sharks are 22-6.
Jesse Castillo earned the start for Bronx in game one, and he received the loss, tossing five innings and yielding eight runs (four earned) on 11 hits while walking two batters. Reliever Derek Galvez pitched two scoreless frames in relief of Castillo, scattering two hits and striking out a batter.
Offensively for the Broncos in game one, Galvez collected two hits – including a long solo homerun to right center field, as well as a double. He also walked, scored a run, and drove in one. Carlos Rivera Ayala singled three times, and Justin Nunez reached base twice – singling and drawing a walk.
In game two of the day, Bronx sent its ace to the ill – Aaron Bonilla Suarez. The 6'0 right-handed hurler would allow a run in the top of the first inning when Suffolk's Jeffrey Towle would record an RBI double to deep center field. The Sharks held that 1-0 advantage until the bottom of the fourth, when the entire complexion of the game would change.
The bottom of the fourth turned out to be the Broncos' breakthrough inning. After Michael Mateo would lead off the frame with a double off Suffolk starter Tyler Schmid, Galvez would ground out to shortstop for the first out of the inning. Carlos Rivera Ayala would then reach on an infield single, putting runners at first and second for the Broncos with just one out. After a balk by Schmid moved the two aforementioned runners up a base apiece, Emmanuel Frias drew a walk to load the bases.
Christian Cedeno then stepped up to the plate and hit a ground ball to short. The ball was hit with moderate speed towards Sharks infielder Marc Laboy. Laboy – who never truly appeared to know which base he was going to throw to – decided to toss the ball to third base, but the ball got past third baseman Kristopher Cheslock and went into the Suffolk dugout. Three Broncos would score on that play, as the Bronx catapulted ahead by a score of 3-1. Two batters later, a Steven Santana RBI single increased the Bronx advantage to 4-1.
Suffolk would get one run back in the top of the fifth inning when Cameron Lopez' sacrifice fly chased home James Matera. That made the score 4-2 in favor of the Broncos. Bronx would get that run back in the bottom of the fifth when Justin Nunez would walk, steal two bases, and advance home on a throwing error by the catcher, who in an attempt to throw Nunez out at third, ended up zipping the ball into left field. It was yet another uncharacteristic misplay by a Sharks team that coming into the game had only dropped five contests all season.
Suffolk would bring the tying run to the plate twice in the top of the seventh inning, but Bonilla Suarez was able to finish the game strong, getting Towle to fly out to right field before striking out Stephen Lydon to end the game.
Bonilla Suarez' complete game victory was the standout's seventh win of the season for the Broncos. He allowed just two runs on the day (one earned) while also striking out seven batters.
Offensively for the Bronx in game two, Frias reached base twice, singling and drawing a walk while also scoring a run. Derek Galvez drew two walks, and Mateo walked and doubled before exiting the game due to an undisclosed injury.
The Broncos will look to earn a split with the Sharks on Saturday afternoon, as the teams finalized this four-game set at the PAL Complex in Holtsville, NY. Start time is scheduled for noon.
